When cleaning the house and checking things off your list, plumbing is typically overlooked. Most people don’t think about it until something breaks, but if you are checking up on them periodically you can save money and a headache by replacing them before the damage gets worse.
Types of Pipes
There are many different kinds of pipes, all with their own recommended replacement times and various ways of decaying. For example, galvanized pipes are usually okay to use for 20 to 40 years but can rot from the inside out, making damage hard to detect except for flakes and rot getting into your drinking water. This is why it’s important to know what materials the plumbing system in your house is made of!
When doing a comprehensive inspection of the plumbing in your home, watch out for these:
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- Water pressure – if you are noticing that water isn’t pumping out like it’s supposed to in your sink or shower, or if your toilet is taking longer than normal to refill, you might have corroding pipes. As the pipes corrode, the diameter of the pipes will shrink and water pressure will go down.
- Slow drains – this one is usually obvious, but not doing anything about it could damage your pipes even more as buildup continues to collect.
- Water heater issues – if you have neglected checking up on your water heater, now is the time to do it. Common problems include broken thermostats or circuit breakers, clogged or sticky valves, and leak or rust around the water heater. If your water heater is leaking, you should call a plumber right away as your house could flood at any moment.
- Sewer line damage – a very bad problem to have. Warning signs of sewer line damage can include gurgling noises coming from toilets, backup or drain failure in bathrooms, puddles of water over sewer lines outside, and smelly odors in and around your house. These problems need to be fixed immediately to avoid costly damage in the future.
- Bad water quality – this could be anything from discoloration to smelly or rusty water. This typically means there is damage to your water heater. The discoloration comes from old, rotting pipes depositing rust into the water you drink. In your water heater, there are rods that attract bacteria to keep it from going to your sinks. If these are worn down or do not function properly anymore, the surplus of bacteria will make your water smell bad.
Most plumbing issues only get worse over time, so routinely checking your plumbing system will help you avoid costly damage in the future.
Have Plumbing Questions?
The Viking Plumbing team has over 35 years of experience in the industry, and we’ve seen it all. We have a wide range of services that should cover all of your plumbing needs, so if you have any questions or need a plumber, give us a call!